CH 12: SAD REWIND

The words coming out of her mouth surprisingly didn't chill the warm atmosphere. 

Feeling pity? 

Saying that everything would be alright? 

Those kinds of actions with nothing to back them was nothing more than pure hypocrisy. 

What more, did she need his pity? No she didn't. Edea wasn't some weak woman who needed a young little boy to act as if he understood her pain. 

"I really wonder. Generally people at this moment always have an awkward expression and become very uncomfortable or try to comfort me. This had never happened to you after I explained what being a witch meant."

"If you don't share someone's pain, you can never understand them. But just because you understand them doesn't mean you can come to an agreement. That's the truth."

"...Oh?"

"You have lived for a very long time. Saw more than I had ever seen and experienced more than I had experienced.

"Your pain is yours and yours alone. Trying to act as if I understood it would be the height of arrogance."

A lonely smile began to form on Edea face, it was a truly logical reasoning, she was about to put and end to the subject 

"But…"

She stopped herself and looked at Sol as he continued his words. She was immediately struck by how bright his smile was, 

"It doesn't matter how much pain you have. Nor that I am unable to understand it. No matter what happens. I will always share it with you. Master you know. I really really lo…" 

"[STOP]"

The world suddenly stopped. The sound of insect chirping. The feeling of the wind. The vibrant blue and green colors faded entirely, giving place to a monochrome of black and white. This was Edea's most powerful skill. Time Stop. This world was her domain and as such her control over time was absolute. 

Still, the witch of time. One of the first five witches, a being so powerful countries trembled at her name. 

*Huf* *Huf* *Huf*

Was breathing hard while trying to regulate the heavy blush on her face. After a while, 

*Sigh*

She sighed as she slumped in her chair while covering her face with her hands. 

"I am really too easy."

She chuckled wearily. She knew what Sol was about to say. She wasn't inexperienced about love. But this was even more so because of it. 

"I can't let this old woman drag him down."

The true effects of the curse really only activated when doing anything sexual in nature. But, even the acknowledgement of loving feelings between the two was enough to bring some bad luck to him. 

'On this, he is really different from Mars.' 

Like Sol, Mars also developed a crush of sorts on her. But, he was simply too shy and never managed to gather the courage to even try confessing to her. 

'Hahaha! It was rather cute seeing him stammer as he tried to find the words before ultimately giving up.'

She had always found Mars to be a cute child she was taking care of, and even if she could have developed any feelings for him, his personality and her curses made it extremely difficult for it to happen. 

But, 'Perhaps I should try to take my distance from him after his awakening?' 

She was rather weak to the straightforward type of men and she didn't wish to destroy Sol's future by making the mistake of really falling in love with him. 

"Well it's time to go back. [REWIND]."

Once again this whole place was her world. A pocket dimension created by her sister East, the witch of space. As such she could manipulate time as she wished while here without incurring any backslash. Rewinding the discussion to a few minutes ago was nothing for her. 

-----

"The third curse is the curse of infertility. A witch's body is cursed to never be able to give birth."

Edea smiled as she heard those words once again. 

It wasn't the first time she rewinded time because of Sol and with the way he was, it would most likely not be the last time. 

"Beautiful summary. Now, we will study the difference between magic and witchcraft."

Passing time with him was always a delight. 

----

Once the lessons finished, Sol left the door and watched as it changed back to a simple wall. 

He always felt a sense of incongruity when coming and going from that place. The time axis in that dimension was totally messed up. Sometimes it would be faster and sometimes slower. He was never told the exact ratio either and stopped trying to guess it two years ago. 

"How long did it last?" 

He had a far better way to get the accurate time. 

"Just about one hour my prince."

A shadow appeared next to him before revealing. 

Even though it was impossible to discern her features because of the ninja like clothes she was wearing. The same clothes gave away her identity as a woman, and a quite buxom one at that. 

"I see. An hour. Hum. I am a little tired now, do I have any other appointments today?" 

"Yes. The next one is your study in history and other scholarly subjects. Once finished, you have an appointment with lord Gerald at the training barrack for your weekly horse and wyvern riding lessons.  Once finished, you will have the rest of the afternoon free and finally in the evening you have a dinner appointment with the supreme daughter of Castitas."

Sol pinched his brow. Being a prince was great. But it was tiring. He didn't even dare to imagine how it would be to become a king.

'Well, complaining serves no use. I should just go at it.'

----

History was boring. But still necessary. Sol never underestimated something necessary. After all, knowledge was power. 

His lessons were mainly about the past kings as well as the diverse important events. 

"One of the laws of this kingdom is that all crown princes or crown princesses must wear a name related to a star or a planet. His majesty Jupiter, was the first king. After him were Pluto, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and His majesty Mars, the eight king."

Sol listened to this attentively. After all, this information showed something incredible. 

'The solar system in this world is the same as the one in mine. Does that mean that I am on earth?' 

It wouldn't be impossible. He had always heard of the multiverse theories. 

This was even more so when he associated the diverse myths of this world. Asmodeus for example was one of the princes of hell and represented lust in his old words. Meanwhile here, he was the beast of lust. 

'Well, not like it really matters in the end.'

Discarding those thoughts, he put back his attention to what his teacher was saying. 

Thankfully, the lesson didn't last long and he left the room to go towards the ballroom where he regularly took dancing lessons. 

Once finished he continued toward his lessons in manner and different untold rules in the world of nobles. 

Finally he ended with politics. 

---

"Prince Sol, I am happy that you took your precious time to come learn from this old man. I hope you had a beautiful day."

Sol smiled at the white haired old man bowing in front of him. 

Right now, he was outside the tower, but still close to it. He understood that he shouldn't go too far as long as he didn't awaken and obtain a reliable way to defend himself, he had to be very careful. 

"Do not worry lord Gerald. You are a man I respect very much and taking lessons from you has always been a pleasure."

As he said so, he began to walk toward the office building while Gerald took half a step behind him as he followed. 

Once they entered the office building, 

"*Pfft* Hahaha, little Sol I must say you are acting more and more like a true prince. I remember the snotty brat that was looking at my horses with stars in his eyes ."

Sol felt his shoulders relax a little as he smiled, 

"Uncle, I already told you that I didn't mind it if you treated me more casually even outside."

Gerald shook his head in denial. 

"You know I can't do that Sol. I represent the previous power. It doesn't matter what people know. But as long as we are in public, I must treat you as the prince you are otherwise I would be seen as trying to grab more power."

A sigh escaped Sol. Politics and more politics. He knew it was necessary but it didn't mean he had to like it. 

Gerald wasn't his biological uncle. Just one of the retainers of the king before Mars. Neptune. Still he really respected him and always felt uncomfortable seeing someone the age of his grandfather bow in front of him. 

Gerald gave an encouraging smile, 

"Enough chit chat. You should already be rather tired. So let's get this done. Anyway you already grasped the basics and just need more experience, who will you choose this time?" 

"My usual ones. Black and white."

"Hahaha~!" Another loud laugh escaped Gerald as he said, "Those two are basically your private property now, they never let anyone else mount them."

Sol smiled. White was his horse. A rare breed of nightmare horse. A rank D species. Black was his wyvern, a C rank species. 

Wyverns were an extremely devolved form of Dragons. So much that in the legend, dragons saw the wyverns as inferior creatures. The same way humans saw apes. Still they were cool and since he was half dragon, all dragons related species always obeyed him. 

"You are right uncle. Let's go."

Riding was one of his favorite lessons.

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